US20060004539A1 - Integrated absolute and differential pressure transducer - Google Patents
Integrated absolute and differential pressure transducer Download PDFInfo
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- US20060004539A1 US20060004539A1 US11/158,917 US15891705A US2006004539A1 US 20060004539 A1 US20060004539 A1 US 20060004539A1 US 15891705 A US15891705 A US 15891705A US 2006004539 A1 US2006004539 A1 US 2006004539A1
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L13/00—Devices or apparatus for measuring differences of two or more fluid pressure values
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- G—PHYSICS
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- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L15/00—Devices or apparatus for measuring two or more fluid pressure values simultaneously
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
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- G—PHYSICS
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- G01L—MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
- G01L27/00—Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring fluid pressure
- G01L27/002—Calibrating, i.e. establishing true relation between transducer output value and value to be measured, zeroing, linearising or span error determination
- G01L27/005—Apparatus for calibrating pressure sensors
Definitions
- This invention is related to pressure sensors and, more particularly, to an integrated absolute and differential pressure sensor that can provide normalized, absolute and differential pressure measurements and outputs over a broad range of sub-atmospheric, atmospheric, and super-atmospheric pressures.
- a common deposition process practice may be some variation of the following: (i) Load the substrate or wafer into the vacuum process chamber at atmospheric pressure (e.g., about 600-770 torr); (ii) Close and seal the process chamber and evacuate it to 10 ⁇ 7 torr or less and hold it there for some period of time to remove all of the air, water vapor, and other potential contaminants, (iii) Back-fill the chamber with inert or over-pressure gas to bring the process chamber back up to about 10 ⁇ 3 torr, where it is maintained while process and carrier gasses are fed into the chamber to react or otherwise form a thin film of the desired semiconductor material(s) on the substrate or wafer, while effluents comprising gaseous by-products, unreacted and excess process gasses, and carrier gasses are
- Another approach is to keep the process chamber at the very low process pressure (vacuum) range used for the deposition processes, while a separate, often smaller, load lock chamber is used to handle the wafers before and after processing, i.e., to cycle between atmospheric pressure and process pressure to move the wafers into and out of the process chamber.
- the process chamber when used with such a load lock, is only exposed to atmospheric pressure, therefore, when it is opened for servicing.
- hot cathode pressure sensors are considered to be accurate and dependable for absolute pressure measurements in a range of about 5 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 10 to 5 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 2 torr, but they are not useful for pressures above 5 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 2 torr and have to be turned off to avoid burning out the filaments inside the hot cathode gauges.
- conventional convection pirani pressure sensors have absolute pressure measuring capabilities in a range of about 10 ⁇ 3 torr to 1,000 torr, but they are not useful for pressures below 10 ⁇ 3 torr, and they have a flat zone in a range of about 10 to 1,000 torr in which accuracy is low.
- a micropirani pressure sensor such as the micropirani pressure sensor described in published U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,541, which is incorporated herein by reference, can extend that range down to about 10 ⁇ 5 torr and alleviate the flat zone, but that range still is not sufficient alone for many processes.
- absolute pressure sensors are problematic in applications such as the vacuum process chamber described above, because, while it may be desirable to open the process chamber door at or very near ambient atmospheric pressure, ambient atmospheric pressure varies, depending on elevation above sea level, weather patterns, and the like, so any particular set point of an absolute pressure sensor is unlikely to match atmospheric pressure consistently.
- a differential pressure sensor may be required in addition to the one or two different kinds of absolute pressure sensors described above to provide the required process pressure measurements and controls, which still does not address the flat zone problems, especially where critical process operations are required or desired at pressures that coincide with such flat zones.
- a general object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for measuring and/or controlling pressures over wide pressure ranges with absolute and/or differential pressure outputs extending in an integrated manner over such ranges.
- a more specific object of the invention is to provide real time absolute pressure measurements on a single scale extending from above atmospheric pressure to very low vacuum pressures.
- a more specific object of this invention is to provide integrated absolute and/or differential pressure measurement and output capabilities over a pressure range of 10 ⁇ 8 torr or lower to 10 3 torr or higher with as few as one or two absolute pressure sensors and one differential pressure sensor.
- a method and apparatus for measuring absolute pressure in a chamber includes determining a correlation factor between absolute and differential pressure measurements taken simultaneously at a pressure where the absolute pressure in the chamber can be measured accurately and reliably, and then adjusting differential pressure measurements with the correlation factor to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements.
- the absolute pressure measurements are used in chamber pressure ranges where they are more accurate and reliable than the virtual absolute pressure measurements, and the virtual absolute pressure measurements are used in chamber pressure ranges where they are more accurate and reliable than the absolute pressure measurements.
- the correlation factor is re-determined periodically to adjust for changes in atmospheric pressure.
- FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a load lock for a vacuum process chamber fitted with an absolute pressure sensor and a differential pressure sensor for measuring absolute pressures in a chamber on a continuous scale over a large pressure range according to this invention
- FIG. 2 is a chart showing absolute pressures juxtaposed to example sea level and high plains atmospheric pressures to illustrate a problem addressed by, and some fundamentals of, this invention
- FIG. 3 is a logic flow chart illustrating an algorithm used in this invention to extend absolute pressure measurement range into the differential pressure sensor range
- FIG. 4 is a bifurcated bar chart illustrating the effective differential and absolute pressure ranges of two pressure sensors, one differential and the other absolute, for producing absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single absolute pressure scale according to this invention
- FIG. 5 is a pressure profile of a conventional load lock control cycle illustrating an example application of the integrated combination absolute and differential pressure transducer illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 ;
- FIG. 6 is a logic flow chart illustrating an algorithm used in this invention to extend absolute pressure measurement range into the differential pressure sensor range, similar to FIG. 3 , but with an additional, low range absolute pressure sensor to extend the absolute pressure measurement range to even lower pressures as well;
- FIG. 7 is a bifurcated bar chart similar to FIG. 4 , but including the pressure measuring range of the second, lower, absolute pressure sensor for producing absolute pressure measurements over the larger range.
- FIG. 8 is a pressure profile of a conventional vacuum process cycle illustrating an example application of the integrated combination absolute and differential pressure transducer illustrated in FIGS. 6-7 ;
- FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a vacuum process chamber similar to FIG. 1 , but without the load lock, fitted with two absolute pressure sensors, one mid-range and the other low-range, and a differential pressure sensor to extend the absolute pressure measuring range on a continuous scale according to this invention.
- the present invention is illustrated for example, but not for limitation, in FIG. 1 by two pressure sensors 20 , 30 connected in fluid flow relation to a chamber, which in this example is the interior 61 of a load lock chamber 60 , and a microprocessor 80 , which receives and processes signals originating from the pressure sensors 20 , 30 to provide extended scale absolute pressure measurements of the chamber pressure P C , as represented by the display 90 .
- the first pressure sensor 20 is an absolute pressure sensor (P ABS ) for sensing the absolute pressure P C in the chamber 61 .
- the second pressure sensor 30 is a differential pressure sensor ( ⁇ P) for sensing the difference between the atmospheric pressure P A outside the chamber 61 and the gas pressure P C inside the chamber 61 .
- P ABS P P
- ⁇ P P A ⁇ P P .
- a load lock 60 is often used in semiconductor fabrication to shuttle one or more wafers 73 into and out of a vacuum process chamber 70 , where one or more feed gases delivered from feed gas sources 74 , 75 , 76 are reacted to deposit thin film materials, such as semiconductor material 77 , on the wafer 73 .
- a vacuum pump 71 connected to the interior of the vacuum process chamber 70 pumps gases out of the vacuum process chamber 70 to maintain a desired vacuum, i.e., low pressure, usually less than 1 torr and can be down to 10 ⁇ 8 torr or less, depending on the process requirements.
- a platform 72 is usually provided in the vacuum process chamber 70 for supporting the wafer 73 during processing.
- the interior chamber 61 of load lock 60 in this example is connected by a passage 69 to the interior of the vacuum process chamber 70 .
- the purpose of the load lock 60 is to facilitate transfer of the wafers 73 from the outside (e.g., ambient) atmosphere into the vacuum process chamber 70 without losing the vacuum in the vacuum process chamber 70 or allowing contaminants into the vacuum process chamber 70 . Therefore, an interior door or valve 62 in the passage 69 opens the passage 69 to allow transfer of wafers 73 into and out of the vacuum process chamber 70 and closes the passage way 69 to seal the vacuum process chamber from the load lock chamber 61 , when there are no such transfers being conducted. In some process tools, there is an intermediate transfer chamber (not shown) between the load lock and several process chambers to facilitate transferring wafers from one process chamber to another without having to go through the load lock or the atmosphere.
- An exterior door 64 on the load lock 60 opens and closes the load lock chamber 61 to the atmosphere.
- a wafer illustrated in phantom lines 73 ′ to indicate its transitory position
- the interior door 62 is closed, and the exterior door 64 is open.
- the absolute chamber pressure P C in the load lock 60 is substantially equal to the absolute atmospheric pressure P A outside the chamber 61 , as indicated at 91 in the display 90 , so the differential pressure ⁇ P is zero.
- the vacuum in the vacuum process chamber 70 behind the closed interior door 62 is maintained, i.e., at a much lower pressure P P than the outside atmospheric pressure P A .
- the exterior door 64 is closed, and a vacuum pump 65 connected to the load lock chamber 61 pumps enough of the air and other gases out of the load lock chamber 61 to remove potential contaminants and to reduce the absolute chamber pressure P C , as indicated by the sloped line 92 in the display 90 , to a desired level 93 that substantially matches the low absolute pressure P P in the vacuum process chamber 70 , which can be measured with an absolute pressure sensor 78 .
- the interior door 62 can be opened to allow the wafer 73 to be transferred into the vacuum process chamber 70 and placed on the platform 72 .
- a moveable shuttle (not shown) in the load lock 60 is used to move the wafer 72 into and out of the vacuum process chamber 70 , as is well-known to persons skilled in the art.
- the interior door can be closed for a time, while the semiconductor material 77 is deposited on the substrate 73 .
- the absolute chamber pressure P C can be maintained at the low level 93 during the deposition of the semiconductor material 77 .
- the interior door 82 is opened again to transfer the wafer 73 back into the load lock chamber 61 .
- the interior door 62 is closed again to isolate the interior of the vacuum process chamber 70 from the load lock chamber 61 , so that the absolute chamber pressure P C can be raised, as indicated at 95 , back to atmospheric pressure P A , as indicated at 96 , without affecting the process pressure P P in the vacuum process chamber 70 .
- a common practice is to use a gas, such as nitrogen, or an inert gas, such as argon, from a source 63 to back-fill the load lock chamber 61 to raise the absolute chamber pressure P C back up to atmospheric pressure P A , but air is also sometimes used for this purpose.
- a gas such as nitrogen, or an inert gas, such as argon
- the atmospheric pressure P A varies significantly with elevation above sea level and with ambient weather conditions, so there is no fixed absolute pressure set point that can be used for the chamber pressure P C to open the exterior door 64 . Consequently, it is necessary to use an absolute pressure sensor 20 that is accurate and reliable at the lower pressure levels to measure absolute chamber pressure P C for determining when to open the interior door 62 , but also to use a differential pressure sensor 30 for determining when the chamber pressure P C matches the atmospheric pressure P A in order to open the exterior door 64 at or near atmospheric pressure P A as indicated at 99 in the display 90 .
- differential pressure sensor 30 could be substituted for the differential pressure sensor 30 , as is understood by persons skilled in the art. Therefore, the use of the term “differential pressure sensor” herein is meant to include not only conventional, direct read differential pressure sensors or gauges, but also the use of two absolute pressure sensors with circuitry for subtracting measurements of one from measurements of the other to measure differential pressures, as well as any other apparatus or method that is capable of providing differential pressure measurements.
- An important feature of this invention is to integrate pressure measurements from at least one low or mid-level absolute pressure sensor 20 with differential pressure measurements from the differential pressure sensor 30 to produce accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements of the chamber pressure P C on a single scale that extends over a range low enough for opening the interior door 62 in this kind of load lock as well as other process applications and high enough to provide a complete absolute chamber pressure P C profile 98 , including absolute atmospheric pressure P A .
- this invention is not limited to load lock applications. On the contrary, it is useable for any other application in which such an extended absolute pressure measurement range beyond (above or below) the acceptable accuracy and reliability range of a low or mid-level absolute pressure sensor is needed or desired.
- the measurements provided by the absolute pressure sensor 20 are used for the absolute chamber pressures P C below a cross-over pressure P X level or range on an absolute pressure scale 40 in the display 90 , where the absolute pressure sensor 20 has the capability to provide accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements.
- normalized virtual differential pressure measurements which are based on differential pressure measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 are used for the absolute chamber pressure P C on the absolute pressure scale 40 in the display 90 .
- differential pressure measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 are correlated with measurements P 20 of absolute chamber pressure P C from the absolute pressure sensor 20 at or below a correlation pressure threshold point P t , which is preferably at or near a pressure where the practical accuracy of the differential pressure sensor 30 effectively reaches its bottom, i.e., where further decimal places of pressure measurements are not meaningful or significant in a practical application or where physical structure or electric circuit limitations render lower differential pressure ⁇ P measurements with the differential pressure sensor 30 practically meaningless.
- This correlation pressure threshold point P t can be used as a base line for adjusting or normalizing the differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 to correlate with the absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P 20 from the absolute pressure pressure sensor 20 at a desired level of accuracy, as will be explained in more detail below. Therefore, such adjustment or normalizing correlation factor F can be used to convert or normalize all higher differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 to the same scale as the absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P 20 from the absolute pressure sensor 20 , as is shown in FIG. 3 and will be described in more detail below.
- the correlation factor F can be added to all of the differential pressure ⁇ P measurements from the differential pressure sensor 30 to convert them to virtual absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P V correlated to the same absolute pressure scale 40 as the absolute pressure measurements P 20 produced by the absolute pressure sensor 20 .
- the absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P 20 by the absolute pressure sensor 20 above that accuracy and reliability level become unreliable and unusable.
- the differential pressure sensor 30 continues to provide accurate and reliable differential pressure ⁇ P measurements as the chamber pressure P C rises all the way up to the atmospheric pressure P A and beyond.
- a cross-over pressure level P X which can be either a distinct cross-over pressure point or a cross-over pressure range with a smoothing function (explained in more detail below), at which the displayed absolute chamber pressure profile 98 is assembled from the virtual absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P V rather than from the absolute pressure sensor 20 measurements P 20 , as will be explained in more detail below.
- the absolute pressures P ABS in a typical vacuum process range are juxtaposed in FIG. 2 to corresponding differential pressures ⁇ P on a logarithmic scale 40 in units of torr, although any other units of pressure could also be used.
- a scale of absolute pressures P ABS is shown extending from 1,000 torr at the upper end of the scale 40 down to 10 ⁇ 5 torr (0.00001 torr) at the lower end of the scale 40 .
- Some processes are performed in pressures as low as 10 ⁇ 8 torr or lower, but it is not necessary to extend the scale 40 in this FIG. 2 that low in order to convey the principles of this invention.
- FIG. 2 Two arbitrary different example atmospheric pressures P A —sea level and high plains, e.g., Boulder, Colo. U.S.A.—are used in FIG. 2 to facilitate an explanation of this invention, but any other example atmospheric pressures could also be used.
- 760 torr is considered by persons skilled in the art to be a standard atmospheric pressure P A at sea level, the actual atmospheric pressure P A will vary above and below that 760 torr level due to various weather patterns.
- 630 torr is a common atmospheric pressure P A at high plains and foothills locations, such as Boulder, Colo. U.S.A., the actual atmospheric pressure P A at any such location will vary above and below that level as weather patterns change.
- one of the purposes of this invention is to provide accurate and reliable chamber pressure P C measurements up to and beyond whatever local atmospheric pressure P A might exist at any time, even as such local atmospheric pressure P A changes from day-to-day, hour-to-hour, or smaller increments of time.
- the differential pressure ⁇ P between the atmospheric pressure P A and the chamber pressure P C in the chamber 61 ( FIG. 1 ) will be, of course, zero, as shown in column 44 in FIG. 2 .
- the chamber 61 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 65 ( FIG. 1 )
- the absolute chamber pressure P C is lowered by 660 torr to the absolute chamber pressure P C of, for example, 100 torr
- the differential pressure ⁇ P will also drop from zero to ⁇ 660 torr, shown in FIG. 2 .
- the differential pressure ⁇ P between the atmospheric pressure P A and the chamber pressure P C with the exterior door 64 open will also be zero, as shown in FIG. 2 .
- there is a 130 torr difference between the 760 torr sea level P A and the 630 torr high plains P A there is a 130 torr difference between the 760 torr sea level P A and the 630 torr high plains P A . Therefore, as the chamber 61 is evacuated down to an absolute chamber pressure P C of 100 torr, the differential pressure ⁇ P at the high plains location will be ⁇ 530 torr instead of the ⁇ 660 torr at the sea level location.
- An absolute chamber pressure P C of 0.1 torr corresponds to differential pressures of ⁇ P of ⁇ 759.9 torr at the sea level location and ⁇ 629.9 torr at the high plains location, and 0.01 torr, 0.001 torr, 0.0001 torr, and 0.00001 torr absolute chamber pressures P C correspond to ⁇ 759.99 torr, ⁇ 759.999 torr, ⁇ 759.99999 torr, and ⁇ 759.99999 torr at the sea level location and to ⁇ 629.99 torr, ⁇ 629.999 torr, ⁇ 629.9999 torr, and ⁇ 629.99999 torr at the high plains location.
- differential pressure ⁇ P measurements down to any further decimal places are practically meaningless, just as the difference between differential pressure ⁇ P measurement P 30 with the differential pressure sensor 30 of ⁇ 660.99 torr and ⁇ 660.999 torr at the sea level location would be practically meaningless, because the available differential pressure sensors are just not accurate to more than one or two decimal places in torr units.
- measurement accuracies to one or even zero decimal places is usually sufficient for most process operations.
- correlating absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P 20 from the absolute pressure sensor 20 to the effectively bottomed-out differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 when the absolute chamber pressure P C is below a threshold pressure P t of 1 torr or perhaps 0.1 torr or lower, depending on the decimal places of accuracy needed at higher differential pressure ⁇ P measurements, provides an effective, accurate, and repeatable baseline for normalizing the differential pressure sensor 30 measurements to the absolute pressure sensor 20 measurements.
- the differential pressure sensor 30 measurements P 30 can, according to this invention, be normalized or converted with a normalizing correlation factor to virtual absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P V , including in the higher chamber pressure P C ranges, where the differential pressure sensor 30 is most accurate and dependable and the absolute pressure sensor 20 losses its accuracy and dependability.
- differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 of differential pressure pressure sensor 30 are normalized to the accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure sensor 20 measurements P 20 , when the chamber pressure P C is at a baseline threshold pressure P t of 1 torr or below, then, as the absolute chamber pressure P C rises above some cross-over pressure level P X , such as 100 torr, where the differential pressure sensor 30 is more accurate and reliable than the absolute pressure sensor 20 , the differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 of the differential pressure sensor 30 can be converted to accurate and reliable virtual absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P V all the way up to atmospheric pressure P A level and above.
- a piezo differential pressure sensor is accurate from about 100 torr below atmospheric pressure P A to about 1,500 torr above atmospheric pressure P A , which is a range of about 1,600 torr. Therefore, normalizing such differential pressure measurements P 30 , as described above, can provide accurate and dependable virtual absolute pressure measurements P V over a 1,600 torr range.
- the exact lower and upper ends 43 , 45 of such virtual absolute pressure measurement P V range on the absolute pressure scale 40 will depend on what the atmospheric pressure pressure P A happens to be at any particular time, as illustrated in FIG. 4 , which is described in more detail below.
- FIGS. 3 and 4 An example normalizing method for implementing this invention to produce such virtual absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P V is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , although other methods or variations can be devised by persons skilled in the art, once they understand the principles of this invention.
- FIG. 3 For purposes of explanation of this method in FIG. 3 , reference is also made to a chart of effective measuring ranges of example absolute and differential pressure sensor 20 , 30 ranges in FIG. 4 and an example load lock chamber 61 pressure profile in FIG. 5 , as well as with continuing reference to the FIGS. 1 and 2 discussed above.
- the absolute pressure sensor 20 is shown in FIG. 4 to have an effective measuring range extending from about 100 torr down to about 10 ⁇ 5 torr, and the absolute pressure measurements by the absolute pressure sensor 20 are called P 20 for convenience.
- the micropirani absolute pressure sensor described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,541, which is incorporated herein by reference, has this kind of range, while conventional convection pirani absolute pressure sensors have a somewhat narrower range of about 100 torr down to about 10 ⁇ 3 torr.
- Other thermal conductivity type absolute pressure sensors as well as diaphragm based absolute pressure sensors, such as low range capacitive manometers, low range piezo, strain gauge, and others also are effective in the upper portions of this example absolute pressure sensor range.
- the differential pressure sensor 30 for this example description is shown in FIG. 4 to have an effective measuring range from above atmospheric pressure (e.g., about 1,500 torr above P A ) down to about minus 99.9 percent of atmospheric pressure ( ⁇ 99.9% Atm), i.e., down to about 10 ⁇ 1 torr, although it is more accurate and reliable above about 1 torr.
- the differential pressure measurements by the differential pressure sensor 30 are called P 30 for convenience, and, as mentioned above, absolute pressure measurements by the absolute pressure sensor 20 are called P 20 .
- the bar chart in FIG. 4 is divided into a differential pressure domain 42 on top and an absolute pressure domain 44 on bottom to aid in illustrating the concept that the differential pressure sensor 30 output measurements P 30 shift laterally in relation to the absolute pressure scale 40 and to the absolute measurements P 20 , as indicated by arrow 41 and phantom lines 43 , 45 in FIG. 4 , with the amount of such shift depending on the changes in atmospheric pressure. If the atmospheric pressure P A is higher, the differential pressure measurements P 30 shift to the right in relation to the absolute pressure seal 40 in FIG. 4 , and, if the atmospheric pressure P A moves lower, the differential pressure measurements shift to the left in relation to the absolute pressure scale 40 .
- the absolute pressure profile 98 in FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the absolute pressure profile 98 for a typical load lock cycle in the display 90 of FIG. 1 .
- the scale 40 at the left is absolute pressure in torr
- the scale 140 at the right is differential pressure in torr
- the scale 142 at the bottom is time in minutes, although any suitable pressure and time units can be used.
- the cycle starts at atmospheric pressure P A indicated at 91 , and it descends downwardly 92 during evacuation of the load lock chamber 61 to a base level pressure 93 , where it is held for a time during transfer of a wafer 73 into (and, if desired, back out of) the reaction chamber 70 ( FIG. 1 ).
- the absolute chamber pressure P C rises back, as shown at 95 , to atmospheric pressure P A as indicated at 96 .
- the absolute chamber pressures P C for the absolute pressure profile 98 can be provided, for example, by the method 10 shown in FIG. 3 .
- the initial correlation factor F 0 could be at 760 torr for a sea level location or at 630 torr at a high plains location, which would provide an approximation good enough for the first part of the absolute pressure profile 98 down to the cross-over pressure P X for the first load lock cycle. Therefore, the correlation factor F is set at 47 in FIG. 3 equal to the initial correlation factor F 0 .
- the absolute pressure measurement P 20 and the differential pressure measurement P 30 are read at 48 from the absolute pressure sensor 20 and from the differential pressure sensor 30 .
- the virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement P V is calculated at 51 by adding the correlation factor F to the differential pressure measurement P 30 . For example, if the correlation factor F is 760 torr, then the virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement P V is the differential pressure measurement P 30 plus 760 torr.
- the absolute chamber pressure P C measurement P 20 is not greater than the cross-over pressure level P X at 52 , then the absolute chamber pressure P C is set equal to the absolute pressure measurement P 20 at 53 . If P 20 is greater than the cross-over pressure level P X at 52 , then the absolute chamber pressure P C is set equal to the virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement P V at 54 . Then, the absolute chamber pressure P C , whether set equal to P 20 at 53 or equal to P V at 54 , is output at 55 for any desired control and display functions. Alternatively, the test at 52 could be whether P V >P X instead of whether P 20 >P X , with an equivalent effect.
- the method 10 loops back via 57 to obtain another reading of the absolute chamber pressure measurement P 20 and of the differential pressure measurement P 30 for another iteration through the logic to obtain new ⁇ P and P C values as the chamber pressure P C decreases.
- the absolute chamber pressure measurement P 20 is less than the correlation threshold pressure P t at 56 , then the correlation factor F is recalculated at 58 before the method 10 loops back via 59 for another iteration.
- the correlation threshold pressure P t is preferably, but not necessarily, low enough to be at or near the bottom of the differential pressure measuring capability of the differential pressure sensor 30 at whatever minimum decimal place is needed for the precision desired in the virtual pressure measurements P V .
- P t should not be so low that the actual absolute chamber pressure P C never or rarely gets that low, because, according to the method 10 , the correlation factor F only gets updated to compensate for any atmospheric pressure P A changes due to weather changes or other causes, when the absolute chamber pressure P C falls below P t . Therefore, if the chamber pressure P C is cycled to drop below P t every hour, for example, the correlation factor F will be updated every hour to compensate for any atmospheric pressure P A changes due to weather or otherwise. Such updates keep the P C outputs at 55 accurate, even above P X , regardless of atmospheric pressure P A changes.
- any pressure level where the relationship between an accurate, reliable, absolute pressure measurement and a differential pressure is known can be used to determine the correlation factor.
- the absolute atmospheric pressure P A is known from some other source at a particular instant in time when the differential pressure sensor measures zero, such absolute atmospheric pressure P A value can be used to set the correlation factor F.
- Such other source could be, for example, another absolute pressure sensor that is accurate and reliable at that level.
- the absolute chamber pressure P C output at 55 in the method 10 in FIG. 3 comprises a continuous composite of absolute pressure measurements P 20 and virtual absolute pressure measurements P V , which effectively extends the range of accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure P C measuring capability higher than the capability of the absolute pressure sensor 20 alone—all the way up to atmospheric pressure P A and beyond.
- the cross-over pressure P X is preferably selected to be at the level at which virtual absolute pressure measurements P V are more accurate and reliable than absolute pressure measurements P 20 from absolute pressure sensor 20 and vice-versa. This simple cross-over at P X , where P X is a single pressure point, is acceptable for many applications.
- any common smoothing function which is known to persons skilled in the art, can be used, if desired, to blur or spread the cross-over level over a range 103 to ensure that the pressure profile 98 in FIG. 5 does not have a sharp bend or kink where the cross-over occurs.
- a smoothing function starts by weighting the P C value more with P 20 at one end of the range 103 and changing gradually to weighting the P C value more heavily with P V at the other end of the range 103 so that the P C output in the range 103 would be a blended value of P 20 and P V .
- the output P C at 55 is an accurate measurement of the absolute chamber pressure P C all the way up the rising portion 95 of the chamber pressure profile 98 to atmospheric pressure 96 and above.
- the differential pressure ⁇ P output at 50 in FIG. 3 can still be used to open the exterior door 64 ( FIG. 1 ), if desired. That same updated correlation factor F continues to be used for the correlation of the differential pressure measurements P 30 to virtual absolute pressure pressure measurements P V at 49 in FIG. 3 for the descending portion 92 ( FIG. 5 ) of the next load lock evacuation cycle, since it is the correlation factor F that is related most recently to the actual atmospheric pressure P A and is, therefore, usually more accurate than the initial correlation factor F 0 .
- the logic in the process discussed above and illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 can be implemented in any manner, such as a microprocessor 80 , as shown in FIG. 1 or any other convenient manner known to persons skilled in the art.
- Signals from the absolute and differential pressure sensors 20 , 30 can be communicated to the microprocessor 80 by any convenient communication links 21 , 31 , and signals from the microprocessor to operate the doors 62 , 64 , the throttle valve 66 , and the display 90 can be via suitable communication links 84 , 83 , 68 , 86 , respectively.
- Such communications links can be hard wired, radio frequency, infrared, sound, or any other signal communication technique.
- the signals and processed information can be handled or stored in any buffers, filters, amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters, memory devices, and other conventional signal processing components (not shown), as is known to persons skilled in the art.
- the display 90 is used generically here and can be visual, printed, projected, or any component for receiving, using, storing, or displaying the pressure outputs ⁇ P and/or P C from the process described in relation to FIG. 3 or otherwise in accordance with this invention.
- the pressure sensor 78 can be, but does not have to be, connected to the microprocessor 80 via communication link 85 for monitoring, comparison, display, or the like.
- the absolute pressure sensor 20 is unlikely to be able to measure very low absolute pressures, e.g., below 10 ⁇ 4 or 10 ⁇ 5 , and still extend high enough, e.g., 1 to 100 torr, to get within a useable correlation range, e.g., 10 ⁇ 2 to 1 torr.
- Absolute pressure sensors 20 in these ranges are considered to be mid-range absolute pressure sensors. If it is desired to evacuate the chamber pressure P C down to even lower pressure levels, such as the 10 ⁇ 7 torr process base pressure level 113 in the example process pressure profile 98 in FIG. 5 , a second, low absolute pressure sensor 25 , as shown in FIGS.
- the low absolute pressure sensor 25 for example, an ion gauge, a hot cathode pressure sensor, or a cold cathode pressure sensor, can extend the range of accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure P C outputs down to 10 ⁇ 8 torr or below, as illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- An ion gauge, a hot cathode gauge, and a cold cathode gauge are examples of absolute pressure sensors that are capable of providing accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements P 25 at these low absolute pressure levels.
- FIGS. 6-9 To illustrate the operation of this second, lower range, absolute pressure sensor 25 in combination with the mid-range absolute pressure sensor 20 and the differential pressure sensor 30 in this invention, reference is made now primarily to FIGS. 6-9 .
- the process chamber 70 shown in FIG. 9 , is not equipped with a load lock, and the exterior door 164 is positioned to open and close the passage 69 into the process chamber 70 .
- the two absolute pressure sensors 20 , 25 and the differential pressure sensor 70 are all connected directly in fluid flow relation to the interior 161 of the chamber 70 .
- the pressure scales 40 , 140 and time scale 142 in FIG. 8 are similar to those in FIG. 5 .
- the mid-range absolute pressure sensor 20 and the differential pressure sensor 30 are correlated together in substantially the same manner as described above for the FIGS. 1-5 example.
- the initialization of the correlation factor F with an initial F 0 can be the same, as shown in FIG. 6 .
- All three sensors 20 , 25 , 30 are read at 48 in FIG. 6 for the two absolute pressure measurements P 20 , P 25 and for the differential pressure measurement P 30 .
- the differential pressure sensor 30 is the only one that outputs accurate and reliable measurements at that pressure level 112 and in the initial portion 114 of the chamber pressure P C descent.
- the differential pressure ⁇ P is the same as the differential pressure measurement P 30 , as shown at 49 , and it is output at 50 for whatever functionalities are desired, such as displays of differential pressure ⁇ P on a differential pressure scale 140 and opening the door at 132 after the process is completed.
- adjusting the differential pressure measurement P 30 with the correlation factor F at 51 in FIG. 6 also produces a virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement P V , which is as accurate as the correlation factor F, and which is output as the absolute chamber pressure P C at 55 for that initial portion 114 down to the cross-over pressure P X .
- the chamber pressure P C is lowered to a range in which mid-range absolute pressure sensor 20 provides more accurate and reliable pressure measurements P 20 , for example, in the range 116 below the first cross-over pressure P X in FIG. 8 , the chamber pressure P C output at 55 in FIG. 6 is equal to the absolute pressure measurements P 20 .
- a pressure point 94 in this mid-range 116 can be used to open the throttle valve 66 in FIG. 9 to bolster pumpdown speed, as explained for the FIGS. 1-5 example above.
- the correlation factor F is updated at 58 in FIG. 6 to compensate for any change in the atmospheric pressure P A that may have occurred since the previous update of the correlation factor F.
- connections, signal communications links, microprocessor 80 , and other signal processing and handling components in the example of FIG. 9 can be similar to those described for FIG. 1 , as would be obvious to persons skilled in the art, once they understand the principles of this invention, thus need not be described further herein.
- the example process pressure profile 110 illustrated in FIG. 8 continues below the pressure measuring capability of the mid-range pressure sensor 20 . Therefore, from a second cross-over pressure level P XX or range 118 , preferably where the pressure measurements P 20 , P 25 are both still accurate and reliable, and down through a lower portion 120 of the process pressure profile 110 under P XX to the base pressure 122 , the absolute chamber pressure P C output at 55 in FIG. 6 is equal to the absolute pressure measurement P 25 from the low range pressure sensor 25 .
- This second cross-over at P XX is implemented at 124 and 126 in FIG. 6 .
- the base pressure level 122 is commonly used to draw as many impurities out of the process chamber 161 as practically possible before back-filling the process chamber 161 with an inert or an overpressure gas 63 to raise the process chamber pressure P C to a more mid-level pressure level 126 , where the process feed gases 74 , 75 , 76 are flowed into the process chamber 161 to react and deposit the semiconductor material 77 on the substrate 73 .
- the process pressure level 126 can be above, below, or equal to the second cross-over pressure P XX , as desired by an operator.
- the feed gasses 74 , 75 , 76 are turned off, and the back-fill gas 63 or another back-fill gas (not shown) is used to raise the process chamber pressure P C back up to the atmospheric pressure P A .
- the absolute pressure of the profile 110 is provided by the absolute pressure measurements P 20 .
- the absolute pressure P C measurements for the process pressure profile 110 are again provided by the virtual absolute pressure measurements P V , which are calculated by adding the updated correlation factor F to the differential pressure measurement P 30 as explained above and shown at 52 , 54 , 55 of FIG. 6 .
- the differential pressure sensor 30 senses zero differential pressure ⁇ P, and the ⁇ P output at 53 can be used to open the door 164 at 132 , as explained above.
- any pressure level at which an accurate relationship between absolute pressure and differential pressure is known or can be measured or otherwise determined can be used to determine a correlation factor and, with the differential pressure measurements, to extend absolute pressure measurements beyond the accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring capabilities of an absolute pressure sensor.
- the examples described above show this invention extending the range of absolute pressure measurements above the accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring capabilities of an absolute pressure sensor by adding the correlation factor F to the differential pressure measurements P 30 .
- the principles of this invention also work for determining and using a correlation factor along with differential pressure measurements to extend absolute pressure measurements below the accurate and dependable pressure measuring capabilities of a high range absolute pressure sensor.
- an absolute pressure sensor (not shown) is capable of measuring high absolute pressures, such as from 500 to 3,000 torr accurately and reliably, but could not measure absolute pressures below 1,000 torr
- a differential pressure sensor that is accurate and reliable from +200% atmosphere, down to ⁇ 99.9% atmosphere (approximately 1,200 to 1,500 torr down to about ⁇ 760 to ⁇ 600 torr, depending on the specific atmospheric pressure at the time) along with an appropriate correlation factor could be used to extend the absolute pressure measuring range below the 1,000 torr low range limit of the absolute pressure sensor, e.g., down to 0.1 torr.
- the correlation factor could be determined, for example, at atmospheric pressure, where the differential pressure is zero.
- the absolute pressure measurements could then be extended down to even lower pressures, e.g., below 1 torr down to 10 ⁇ 8 torr, by combining a mid-range absolute pressure sensor and a low-range absolute pressure sensor, as explained above.
- a differential pressure sensor can, according to this invention, be used to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements P V within its accurate and reliable differential pressure measuring range, on a common absolute pressure scale with absolute pressure measurements of one or more absolute pressure sensors above and/or below the differential pressure sensor range.
- This capability is advantageous, even if absolute pressure sensors with accurate and reliable pressure measuring capabilities are available for the same range as the differential pressure sensor in some circumstances.
- the absolute pressure sensor 20 could be a micropirani sensor, which, like a number of other absolute pressure sensors, a thermal conductivity type pressure sensor. Pressure readings from thermal conductivity pressure sensors change with different kinds of gasses, i.e., with different molecular contents, at higher pressures, such as over about 1 torr.
- a thermal conductivity type absolute pressure sensor will output different pressure readings P 20 when the gas in the chamber is changed or mixed with another gas, even if the actual absolute pressure P C in the chamber does not change.
- Direct reading differential pressure sensors such as piezo and capacitance diaphragm gauges, are not gas-type dependent, thus provide the same pressure readings regardless of the kinds of gasses that are introduced into the chamber. Therefore, for gas-independent absolute pressure measurements, use of the differential pressure measurements P 30 with a correlation factor F according to this invention has advantages over a thermal conductivity absolute pressure sensor for the same range.
- the absolute pressure sensor not only performs two functions simultaneously according to this invention, i.e., measuring and monitoring both differential and absolute pressures in a range of about 10 torr to 1,500 torr or higher, it can also provide the absolute pressure readings in that range better than at least some absolute pressure sensors that are gas-type dependent.
- the terms “greater than” (>) is considered to include “greater than or equal to” ( ⁇ ), and the term “less than” is considered to include “less than or equal to” ( ⁇ ), for the explanations or recitations relating to the methods in FIGS. 3 and 6 .
- the comparison at 52 can be “Is P V >P X ?” instead of “Is P 20 >P X ?”, as indicated above.
- example current technology absolute pressure sensors suitable for use in this invention include the thermal conductivity-type sensors, micropirani, conventional convention pirani, hot cathode, cold cathode, ion gauge, etc,.
- the present invention is illustrated for example, but not for limitation, in FIG. 1 by two pressure sensors 20 , 30 connected in fluid flow relation to a chamber, which in this example is the interior 61 of a load lock chamber 60 , and a microprocessor 80 , which receives and processes signals originating from the pressure sensors 20 , 30 to provide extended scale absolute pressure measurements of the chamber pressure P C , as represented by the display 90 .
- the first pressure sensor 20 is an absolute pressure sensor (P ABS ) for sensing the absolute pressure P C in the chamber 61 .
- the second pressure sensor 30 is a differential pressure sensor ( ⁇ P) for sensing the difference between the atmospheric pressure P A outside the chamber 61 and the gas pressure P C inside the chamber 61 .
- P ABS P P
- P C P C
- the atmospheric pressure P A varies significantly with elevation above sea level and with ambient weather conditions, so there is no fixed absolute pressure set point that can be used for the chamber pressure P C to open the exterior door 64 . Consequently, it is necessary to use an absolute pressure sensor 20 that is accurate and reliable at the lower pressure levels to measure absolute chamber pressure P C for determining when to open the interior door 62 , but also to use a differential pressure sensor 30 for determining when the chamber pressure P C matches the atmospheric pressure P A in order to open the exterior door 64 at or near atmospheric pressure P A as indicated at 99 in the display 90 .
- differential pressure sensor 30 could be substituted for the differential pressure sensor 30 , as is understood by persons skilled in the art. Therefore, the use of the term “differential pressure sensor” herein is meant to include not only conventional, direct read differential pressure sensors or gauges, but also the use of two absolute pressure sensors with circuitry for subtracting measurements of one from measurements of the other to measure differential pressures, as well as any other apparatus or method that is capable of providing differential pressure measurements.
- the measurements provided by the absolute pressure sensor 20 are used for the absolute chamber pressures P C below a cross-over pressure P X level or range on an absolute pressure scale 40 in the display 90 , where the absolute pressure sensor 20 has the capability to provide accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements.
- normalized virtual differential pressure measurements which are based on differential pressure measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 are used for the absolute chamber pressure P C on the absolute pressure scale 40 in the display 90 .
- differential pressure measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 are correlated with measurements P 20 of absolute chamber pressure P C from the absolute pressure sensor 20 at or below a correlation pressure threshold point P t , which is preferably at or near a pressure where the practical accuracy of the differential pressure sensor 30 effectively reaches its bottom, i.e., where further decimal places of pressure measurements are not meaningful or significant in a practical application or where physical structure or electric circuit limitations render lower differential pressure ⁇ P measurements with the differential pressure sensor 30 practically meaningless.
- This correlation pressure threshold point P t can be used as a base line for adjusting or normalizing the differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 to correlate with the absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P 20 from the absolute pressure pressure sensor 20 at a desired level of accuracy, as will be explained in more detail below. Therefore, such adjustment or normalizing correlation factor F can be used to convert or normalize all higher differential pressure ⁇ P measurements P 30 from the differential pressure sensor 30 to the same scale as the absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P 20 from the absolute pressure sensor 20 , as is shown in FIG. 3 and will be described in more detail below.
- the correlation factor F can be added to all of the differential pressure ⁇ P measurements from the differential pressure sensor 30 to convert them to virtual absolute chamber pressure P C measurements P V correlated to the same absolute pressure scale 40 as the absolute pressure measurements P 20 produced by the absolute pressure sensor 20 .
- the differential pressure ⁇ P between the atmospheric pressure P A and the chamber pressure P C in the chamber 61 ( FIG. 1 ) will [[be]], of course, be zero, as shown in column 44 in FIG. 2 .
- the absolute chamber pressure P C is lowered by 660 torr to the absolute chamber pressure P C of, for example, 100 torr
- the differential pressure ⁇ P will also drop from zero to ⁇ 660 torr, shown in FIG. 2 .
- An absolute chamber pressure P C of 0.1 torr corresponds to differential pressures of ⁇ P of ⁇ 759.9 torr at the sea level location and ⁇ 629.9 torr at the high plains location, and 0.01 torr, 0.001 torr, 0.0001 torr, and 0.00001 torr absolute chamber pressures P C correspond to ⁇ 759.99 torr, ⁇ 759.999 torr, ⁇ 759.9999 torr, and ⁇ 759.99999 torr at the sea level location and to ⁇ 629.99 torr, ⁇ 629.999 torr, ⁇ 629.9999 torr, and ⁇ 629.99999 torr at the high plains location.
- the absolute pressure sensor 20 is unlikely to be able to measure very low absolute pressures, e.g., below 10 ⁇ 4 or 10 ⁇ 5 , and still extend high enough, e.g., 1 to 100 torr, to get within a useable correlation range, e.g., 10 ⁇ 2 to 1 torr.
- Absolute pressure sensors 20 in these ranges are considered to be mid-range absolute pressure sensors. If it is desired to evacuate the chamber pressure P C down to even lower pressure levels, such as the 10 ⁇ 7 torr process base pressure level 113 122 in the example process pressure profile 98 110 in FIGS. 5 8 , a second, low absolute pressure sensor 25 , as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG.
- the low absolute pressure sensor 25 for example, an ion gauge, a hot cathode pressure sensor, or a cold cathode pressure sensor, can extend the range of accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure P C outputs down to 10 ⁇ 8 torr or below, as illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- An ion gauge, a hot cathode gauge, and a cold cathode gauge are examples of absolute pressure sensors that are capable of providing accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements P 25 at these low absolute pressure levels.
- the terms “greater than” (>) is considered to include “greater than or equal to” ( ⁇ ), and the term “less than” is considered to include “less than or equal to” ( ⁇ ), for the explanations or recitations relating to the methods in FIGS. 3 and 6 .
- the comparison at 52 can be “Is P V >P X ?” instead of “Is P 20 >P X ?”, as indicated above.
- example current technology absolute pressure sensors suitable for use in this invention include the thermal conductivity-type sensors, micropirani, conventional convention pirani, hot cathode, cold cathode, ion gauge, etc,.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus integrates differential pressure measurements and absolute pressure measurements to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single integrated scale.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/721,817 entitled “Integrated Absolute And Differential Pressure Transducer, filed Nov. 24, 2003.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- This invention is related to pressure sensors and, more particularly, to an integrated absolute and differential pressure sensor that can provide normalized, absolute and differential pressure measurements and outputs over a broad range of sub-atmospheric, atmospheric, and super-atmospheric pressures.
- 2. State of the Prior Art
- In some process, control, or monitoring applications, it would be very beneficial to have the capability of sensing pressure and providing accurate and repeatable pressure measurement or control outputs over a broad pressure range, such as from 10−8 torr or lower to 103 (1,000) torr or higher. For example, in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) vacuum process chamber for depositing thin films of semiconductor materials on substrates or wafers to fabricate semi-conductor devices, a common deposition process practice may be some variation of the following: (i) Load the substrate or wafer into the vacuum process chamber at atmospheric pressure (e.g., about 600-770 torr); (ii) Close and seal the process chamber and evacuate it to 10−7 torr or less and hold it there for some period of time to remove all of the air, water vapor, and other potential contaminants, (iii) Back-fill the chamber with inert or over-pressure gas to bring the process chamber back up to about 10−3 torr, where it is maintained while process and carrier gasses are fed into the chamber to react or otherwise form a thin film of the desired semiconductor material(s) on the substrate or wafer, while effluents comprising gaseous by-products, unreacted and excess process gasses, and carrier gasses are drawn out of the process chamber; (iv) Stopping the process gasses; and (v) Back-filling the process chamber to increase the pressure in the chamber back to atmospheric pressure so that the chamber can be opened to remove the processed device.
- Another approach is to keep the process chamber at the very low process pressure (vacuum) range used for the deposition processes, while a separate, often smaller, load lock chamber is used to handle the wafers before and after processing, i.e., to cycle between atmospheric pressure and process pressure to move the wafers into and out of the process chamber. The process chamber, when used with such a load lock, is only exposed to atmospheric pressure, therefore, when it is opened for servicing.
- Such vacuum process and load lock systems currently require a plurality of different kinds of individual pressure sensors to measure and/or control pressures over such large ranges. For example, hot cathode pressure sensors are considered to be accurate and dependable for absolute pressure measurements in a range of about 5×10−10 to 5×10−2 torr, but they are not useful for pressures above 5×10−2 torr and have to be turned off to avoid burning out the filaments inside the hot cathode gauges. On the other hand, conventional convection pirani pressure sensors have absolute pressure measuring capabilities in a range of about 10−3 torr to 1,000 torr, but they are not useful for pressures below 10−3 torr, and they have a flat zone in a range of about 10 to 1,000 torr in which accuracy is low. A micropirani pressure sensor, such as the micropirani pressure sensor described in published U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,541, which is incorporated herein by reference, can extend that range down to about 10−5 torr and alleviate the flat zone, but that range still is not sufficient alone for many processes.
- Further, absolute pressure sensors are problematic in applications such as the vacuum process chamber described above, because, while it may be desirable to open the process chamber door at or very near ambient atmospheric pressure, ambient atmospheric pressure varies, depending on elevation above sea level, weather patterns, and the like, so any particular set point of an absolute pressure sensor is unlikely to match atmospheric pressure consistently. Thus, a differential pressure sensor may be required in addition to the one or two different kinds of absolute pressure sensors described above to provide the required process pressure measurements and controls, which still does not address the flat zone problems, especially where critical process operations are required or desired at pressures that coincide with such flat zones.
- The combination absolute and differential pressure transducer described in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,541, published on Jan. 16, 2003, provides a beneficial combination of an absolute pressure sensor with a differential pressure sensor for controlling the opening or closing of interior and exterior doors and other functions of load locks for vacuum processing chambers of transfer chambers. However, the absolute pressure measurements and the differential pressure measurements are separate from each other, and it provides no way to obtain or track absolute pressures above the absolute pressure measuring capability of the absolute pressure sensor and through the differential pressure sensor ranges. Of course, one or more different types of absolute pressure sensors could be added to the combination to provide higher absolute pressure measurements in the higher, differential pressure measurement ranges, but such additional pressure transducers add to the cost of the process equipment and are still not truly integrated in their respective measurements. Many process chamber operators and quality control technicians would like to see an entire process pressure profile on a single absolute pressure scale from atmospheric pressure or higher and down to the lowest vacuum pressure and then back up through those ranges to atmosphere again.
- A general object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a method and apparatus for measuring and/or controlling pressures over wide pressure ranges with absolute and/or differential pressure outputs extending in an integrated manner over such ranges.
- A more specific object of the invention is to provide real time absolute pressure measurements on a single scale extending from above atmospheric pressure to very low vacuum pressures.
- A more specific object of this invention is to provide integrated absolute and/or differential pressure measurement and output capabilities over a pressure range of 10−8 torr or lower to 103 torr or higher with as few as one or two absolute pressure sensors and one differential pressure sensor.
- To achieve the foregoing and other objects, a method and apparatus for measuring absolute pressure in a chamber includes determining a correlation factor between absolute and differential pressure measurements taken simultaneously at a pressure where the absolute pressure in the chamber can be measured accurately and reliably, and then adjusting differential pressure measurements with the correlation factor to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements. The absolute pressure measurements are used in chamber pressure ranges where they are more accurate and reliable than the virtual absolute pressure measurements, and the virtual absolute pressure measurements are used in chamber pressure ranges where they are more accurate and reliable than the absolute pressure measurements. The correlation factor is re-determined periodically to adjust for changes in atmospheric pressure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims below.
- The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the written description and claims, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a load lock for a vacuum process chamber fitted with an absolute pressure sensor and a differential pressure sensor for measuring absolute pressures in a chamber on a continuous scale over a large pressure range according to this invention; -
FIG. 2 is a chart showing absolute pressures juxtaposed to example sea level and high plains atmospheric pressures to illustrate a problem addressed by, and some fundamentals of, this invention; -
FIG. 3 is a logic flow chart illustrating an algorithm used in this invention to extend absolute pressure measurement range into the differential pressure sensor range; -
FIG. 4 is a bifurcated bar chart illustrating the effective differential and absolute pressure ranges of two pressure sensors, one differential and the other absolute, for producing absolute pressure measurements over a wide range of pressures on a single absolute pressure scale according to this invention; -
FIG. 5 is a pressure profile of a conventional load lock control cycle illustrating an example application of the integrated combination absolute and differential pressure transducer illustrated inFIGS. 1-4 ; -
FIG. 6 is a logic flow chart illustrating an algorithm used in this invention to extend absolute pressure measurement range into the differential pressure sensor range, similar toFIG. 3 , but with an additional, low range absolute pressure sensor to extend the absolute pressure measurement range to even lower pressures as well; -
FIG. 7 is a bifurcated bar chart similar toFIG. 4 , but including the pressure measuring range of the second, lower, absolute pressure sensor for producing absolute pressure measurements over the larger range. -
FIG. 8 is a pressure profile of a conventional vacuum process cycle illustrating an example application of the integrated combination absolute and differential pressure transducer illustrated inFIGS. 6-7 ; and -
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a vacuum process chamber similar toFIG. 1 , but without the load lock, fitted with two absolute pressure sensors, one mid-range and the other low-range, and a differential pressure sensor to extend the absolute pressure measuring range on a continuous scale according to this invention. - The present invention is illustrated for example, but not for limitation, in
FIG. 1 by twopressure sensors interior 61 of aload lock chamber 60, and amicroprocessor 80, which receives and processes signals originating from thepressure sensors display 90. Thefirst pressure sensor 20 is an absolute pressure sensor (PABS) for sensing the absolute pressure PC in thechamber 61. Thesecond pressure sensor 30 is a differential pressure sensor (ΔP) for sensing the difference between the atmospheric pressure PA outside thechamber 61 and the gas pressure PC inside thechamber 61. In other words, PABS=PP, and ΔP=PA−PP. - To provide some context to aid in understanding the invention, a
load lock 60 is often used in semiconductor fabrication to shuttle one ormore wafers 73 into and out of avacuum process chamber 70, where one or more feed gases delivered fromfeed gas sources semiconductor material 77, on thewafer 73. Avacuum pump 71 connected to the interior of thevacuum process chamber 70 pumps gases out of thevacuum process chamber 70 to maintain a desired vacuum, i.e., low pressure, usually less than 1 torr and can be down to 10−8 torr or less, depending on the process requirements. Aplatform 72 is usually provided in thevacuum process chamber 70 for supporting thewafer 73 during processing. - The
interior chamber 61 ofload lock 60 in this example is connected by apassage 69 to the interior of thevacuum process chamber 70. The purpose of theload lock 60 is to facilitate transfer of thewafers 73 from the outside (e.g., ambient) atmosphere into thevacuum process chamber 70 without losing the vacuum in thevacuum process chamber 70 or allowing contaminants into thevacuum process chamber 70. Therefore, an interior door orvalve 62 in thepassage 69 opens thepassage 69 to allow transfer ofwafers 73 into and out of thevacuum process chamber 70 and closes thepassage way 69 to seal the vacuum process chamber from theload lock chamber 61, when there are no such transfers being conducted. In some process tools, there is an intermediate transfer chamber (not shown) between the load lock and several process chambers to facilitate transferring wafers from one process chamber to another without having to go through the load lock or the atmosphere. - An
exterior door 64 on theload lock 60 opens and closes theload lock chamber 61 to the atmosphere. When a wafer, illustrated inphantom lines 73′ to indicate its transitory position, is being transferred from the outside atmosphere into theload lock chamber 61, theinterior door 62 is closed, and theexterior door 64 is open. With theexterior door 64 open, the absolute chamber pressure PC in theload lock 60 is substantially equal to the absolute atmospheric pressure PA outside thechamber 61, as indicated at 91 in thedisplay 90, so the differential pressure ΔP is zero. Meanwhile, the vacuum in thevacuum process chamber 70 behind the closedinterior door 62 is maintained, i.e., at a much lower pressure PP than the outside atmospheric pressure PA. Then, with thewafer 73′ inside theload lock chamber 61, theexterior door 64 is closed, and avacuum pump 65 connected to theload lock chamber 61 pumps enough of the air and other gases out of theload lock chamber 61 to remove potential contaminants and to reduce the absolute chamber pressure PC, as indicated by thesloped line 92 in thedisplay 90, to a desiredlevel 93 that substantially matches the low absolute pressure PP in thevacuum process chamber 70, which can be measured with anabsolute pressure sensor 78. At some chamber pressure PC, such as thepressure point 94, during the pump-downphase 92, where most of the air and potential contaminants have been pumped out of thechamber 61, a common practice is to open athrottle valve 66 to bolster the pump-down speed in the lower absolute chamber pressure PC portion of the pump-downphase 92. Thispressure point 94 is often called a cross-over pressure, because it is where the pump-down of thechamber 91 crosses over from slow to high speed. However, that term for such operation or functionality is not used here to avoid confusion with another cross-over function explained below, which is more central to this invention. - With the absolute chamber pressure PC pumped down to substantially the
same level 93 as the absolute pressure PP in thevacuum process chamber 70, theinterior door 62 can be opened to allow thewafer 73 to be transferred into thevacuum process chamber 70 and placed on theplatform 72. A moveable shuttle (not shown) in theload lock 60 is used to move thewafer 72 into and out of thevacuum process chamber 70, as is well-known to persons skilled in the art. - With the
wafer 73 in place on theplatform 72, the interior door can be closed for a time, while thesemiconductor material 77 is deposited on thesubstrate 73. The absolute chamber pressure PC can be maintained at thelow level 93 during the deposition of thesemiconductor material 77. When thesemiconductor material 77 is deposited on thewafer 73, the interior door 82 is opened again to transfer thewafer 73 back into theload lock chamber 61. Then, theinterior door 62 is closed again to isolate the interior of thevacuum process chamber 70 from theload lock chamber 61, so that the absolute chamber pressure PC can be raised, as indicated at 95, back to atmospheric pressure PA, as indicated at 96, without affecting the process pressure PP in thevacuum process chamber 70. A common practice is to use a gas, such as nitrogen, or an inert gas, such as argon, from asource 63 to back-fill theload lock chamber 61 to raise the absolute chamber pressure PC back up to atmospheric pressure PA, but air is also sometimes used for this purpose. - While it is important to have accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements of the chamber pressure PC going down to the absolute chamber pressure PC level 93 in order to match the process pressure PP in the
vacuum process chamber 70 before opening theinterior door 62, as explained above, it is also important to be able to measure accurately when the chamber pressure PC matches the atmospheric pressure PA before the exterior door is opened. Unfortunately, however, there are no absolute pressures sensors that can measure the absolute chamber pressure PC accurately and reliably over the full pressure range from atmospheric pressure PA level 91 down to thelow pressure level 93 that is needed to match the process pressure PP in thevacuum process chamber 70. Also, the atmospheric pressure PA varies significantly with elevation above sea level and with ambient weather conditions, so there is no fixed absolute pressure set point that can be used for the chamber pressure PC to open theexterior door 64. Consequently, it is necessary to use anabsolute pressure sensor 20 that is accurate and reliable at the lower pressure levels to measure absolute chamber pressure PC for determining when to open theinterior door 62, but also to use adifferential pressure sensor 30 for determining when the chamber pressure PC matches the atmospheric pressure PA in order to open theexterior door 64 at or near atmospheric pressure PA as indicated at 99 in thedisplay 90. Of course, two higher pressure range absolute pressure sensors (not shown), one for measuring absolute atmospheric pressure PA and the other for measuring absolute chamber pressure PC, and an analog or digital comparator circuit (not shown), microprocessor, or other means for comparing such measurements, could be substituted for thedifferential pressure sensor 30, as is understood by persons skilled in the art. Therefore, the use of the term “differential pressure sensor” herein is meant to include not only conventional, direct read differential pressure sensors or gauges, but also the use of two absolute pressure sensors with circuitry for subtracting measurements of one from measurements of the other to measure differential pressures, as well as any other apparatus or method that is capable of providing differential pressure measurements. - Use of an
absolute pressure sensor 20 for determining when the absolute chamber pressure PC is low enough to open theinterior door 62 in combination with adifferential pressure sensor 30 for determining when to open theexterior door 64 of aload lock 60 is well-known, as explained in the published U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,541 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/815,376, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, as mentioned above, many vacuum process chamber operators, quality control personnel, and others would like to have a fullabsolute pressure profile 98 on a single scale that extends over the full chamber pressure PC range of operation from absolute atmospheric pressure PA level 91, 96 or above, down to the lowestabsolute pressure level 93 or below for diagnostic, quality control, design, maintenance, and other reasons. - An important feature of this invention, therefore, is to integrate pressure measurements from at least one low or mid-level
absolute pressure sensor 20 with differential pressure measurements from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to produce accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements of the chamber pressure PC on a single scale that extends over a range low enough for opening theinterior door 62 in this kind of load lock as well as other process applications and high enough to provide a complete absolute chamber pressure PC profile 98, including absolute atmospheric pressure PA. However, this invention is not limited to load lock applications. On the contrary, it is useable for any other application in which such an extended absolute pressure measurement range beyond (above or below) the acceptable accuracy and reliability range of a low or mid-level absolute pressure sensor is needed or desired. - According to this invention, as illustrated in
FIG. 2 , the measurements provided by theabsolute pressure sensor 20 are used for the absolute chamber pressures PC below a cross-over pressure PX level or range on anabsolute pressure scale 40 in thedisplay 90, where theabsolute pressure sensor 20 has the capability to provide accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements. However, for absolute chamber pressure PC measurements above the cross-over pressure level or range PX, where theabsolute pressure sensor 20 does not provide sufficiently accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements, normalized virtual differential pressure measurements, which are based on differential pressure measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 are used for the absolute chamber pressure PC on theabsolute pressure scale 40 in thedisplay 90. To normalize such differential pressure measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 for this purpose, they are correlated with measurements P20 of absolute chamber pressure PC from theabsolute pressure sensor 20 at or below a correlation pressure threshold point Pt, which is preferably at or near a pressure where the practical accuracy of thedifferential pressure sensor 30 effectively reaches its bottom, i.e., where further decimal places of pressure measurements are not meaningful or significant in a practical application or where physical structure or electric circuit limitations render lower differential pressure ΔP measurements with thedifferential pressure sensor 30 practically meaningless. This correlation pressure threshold point Pt, or any pressure lower than Pt that is still within an accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring range of theabsolute pressure sensor 20, can be used as a base line for adjusting or normalizing the differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to correlate with the absolute chamber pressure PC measurements P20 from the absolutepressure pressure sensor 20 at a desired level of accuracy, as will be explained in more detail below. Therefore, such adjustment or normalizing correlation factor F can be used to convert or normalize all higher differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to the same scale as the absolute chamber pressure PC measurements P20 from theabsolute pressure sensor 20, as is shown inFIG. 3 and will be described in more detail below. Consequently, as the chamber pressure PC rises above that correlation pressure threshold Pt, the correlation factor F can be added to all of the differential pressure ΔP measurements from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to convert them to virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV correlated to the sameabsolute pressure scale 40 as the absolute pressure measurements P20 produced by theabsolute pressure sensor 20. - Eventually, as the chamber pressure PC continues to increase, it will reach some chamber pressure PC level that is still substantially below the atmospheric pressure PA, but which is above the accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring capability of the
absolute pressure sensor 20. Therefore, the absolute chamber pressure PC measurements P20 by theabsolute pressure sensor 20 above that accuracy and reliability level become unreliable and unusable. However, thedifferential pressure sensor 30 continues to provide accurate and reliable differential pressure ΔP measurements as the chamber pressure PC rises all the way up to the atmospheric pressure PA and beyond. Therefore, in the higher chamber pressure PC levels, where the absolute pressure measurements P20 by the absolute pressure sensor P20 are unreliable, accurate and reliable virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV can be provided on the samecontinuous scale 40 all the way up to the atmospheric pressure PA level and beyond by adding the correlation factor F to the differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30. - It is preferable, however, to not wait until the
absolute pressure sensor 20 reaches the end of its accuracy and reliability range before crossing over to the virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV for output by themicroprocessor 80 and display by thedisplay device 90. Instead, it is preferable, but not essential, to select a cross-over pressure level PX, which can be either a distinct cross-over pressure point or a cross-over pressure range with a smoothing function (explained in more detail below), at which the displayed absolutechamber pressure profile 98 is assembled from the virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV rather than from theabsolute pressure sensor 20 measurements P20, as will be explained in more detail below. - To further illustrate one of the principles on which this invention is founded, the absolute pressures PABS in a typical vacuum process range are juxtaposed in
FIG. 2 to corresponding differential pressures ΔP on alogarithmic scale 40 in units of torr, although any other units of pressure could also be used. In thefirst column 42 inFIG. 2 , a scale of absolute pressures PABS is shown extending from 1,000 torr at the upper end of thescale 40 down to 10−5 torr (0.00001 torr) at the lower end of thescale 40. Some processes are performed in pressures as low as 10−8 torr or lower, but it is not necessary to extend thescale 40 in thisFIG. 2 that low in order to convey the principles of this invention. - Two arbitrary different example atmospheric pressures PA—sea level and high plains, e.g., Boulder, Colo. U.S.A.—are used in
FIG. 2 to facilitate an explanation of this invention, but any other example atmospheric pressures could also be used. Also, while 760 torr is considered by persons skilled in the art to be a standard atmospheric pressure PA at sea level, the actual atmospheric pressure PA will vary above and below that 760 torr level due to various weather patterns. Likewise, while 630 torr is a common atmospheric pressure PA at high plains and foothills locations, such as Boulder, Colo. U.S.A., the actual atmospheric pressure PA at any such location will vary above and below that level as weather patterns change. However, such variations are accommodated by this invention in order to continue making very accurate and reliable absolute pressure PABS measurements, regardless of atmospheric pressure PA changes, as will be understood by persons skilled in the art, once they understand this invention. In fact, as mentioned above, one of the purposes of this invention is to provide accurate and reliable chamber pressure PC measurements up to and beyond whatever local atmospheric pressure PA might exist at any time, even as such local atmospheric pressure PA changes from day-to-day, hour-to-hour, or smaller increments of time. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2 , when the atmospheric pressure PA is, for example, 760 torr and the absolute chamber pressure PC (FIG. 1 ) is also 760 torr, such as when theexterior door 64 is open, then the differential pressure ΔP between the atmospheric pressure PA and the chamber pressure PC in the chamber 61 (FIG. 1 ) will be, of course, zero, as shown incolumn 44 inFIG. 2 . As thechamber 61 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 65 (FIG. 1 ), and the absolute chamber pressure PC is lowered by 660 torr to the absolute chamber pressure PC of, for example, 100 torr, the differential pressure ΔP will also drop from zero to −660 torr, shown inFIG. 2 . - Likewise, if the process is being performed at a high plains location with an atmospheric pressure PA of, for example, 630 torr instead of the 760 torr sea level atmospheric pressure, the differential pressure ΔP between the atmospheric pressure PA and the chamber pressure PC with the
exterior door 64 open, will also be zero, as shown inFIG. 2 . However, there is a 130 torr difference between the 760 torr sea level PA and the 630 torr high plains PA. Therefore, as thechamber 61 is evacuated down to an absolute chamber pressure PC of 100 torr, the differential pressure ΔP at the high plains location will be −530 torr instead of the −660 torr at the sea level location. - The same 130 torr discrepancy between this sea level example and this high plains location example shows in all of the differential pressure ΔP measurements as the chamber pressure PC is lowered. In other words, lowering the absolute chamber pressure PC of 100 torr down to 10 torr—a 90 torr drop—correspondingly lowers both the sea level location differential pressure ΔP and the high plains location differential pressure ΔP by 90 torr, i.e., from −660 torr down to −750 torr at the sea level location and −530 torr at the high plains location, as shown in
FIG. 2 . Likewise, lowering the absolute chamber pressure PC another 9 torr down to 1 torr would lower the differential pressures ΔP at the sea level location and the high plains locations to −759 torr and −629 torr, respectively. An absolute chamber pressure PC of 0.1 torr corresponds to differential pressures of ΔP of −759.9 torr at the sea level location and −629.9 torr at the high plains location, and 0.01 torr, 0.001 torr, 0.0001 torr, and 0.00001 torr absolute chamber pressures PC correspond to −759.99 torr, −759.999 torr, −759.99999 torr, and −759.99999 torr at the sea level location and to −629.99 torr, −629.999 torr, −629.9999 torr, and −629.99999 torr at the high plains location. - While there are absolute pressure sensors available that can measure pressures down to 0.00001 torr (i.e., 10−5 torr) and below quite accurately and reliably, the available differential pressure sensors effectively bottom out in accuracy at about one decimal place, i.e., when the absolute chamber pressure PC is about 0.1 torr. At about that level, differential pressure ΔP measurements down to any further decimal places, such as −759.99 torr or −759.999 torr for the example sea level location and −629.99 torr or −629.999 torr for the example high plains location, are practically meaningless, just as the difference between differential pressure ΔP measurement P30 with the
differential pressure sensor 30 of −660.99 torr and −660.999 torr at the sea level location would be practically meaningless, because the available differential pressure sensors are just not accurate to more than one or two decimal places in torr units. However, in the upper pressure ranges, for example, above 100 torr, measurement accuracies to one or even zero decimal places is usually sufficient for most process operations. Therefore, correlating absolute chamber pressure PC measurements P20 from theabsolute pressure sensor 20 to the effectively bottomed-out differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 when the absolute chamber pressure PC is below a threshold pressure Pt of 1 torr or perhaps 0.1 torr or lower, depending on the decimal places of accuracy needed at higher differential pressure ΔP measurements, provides an effective, accurate, and repeatable baseline for normalizing thedifferential pressure sensor 30 measurements to theabsolute pressure sensor 20 measurements. With such baseline normalization, thedifferential pressure sensor 30 measurements P30 can, according to this invention, be normalized or converted with a normalizing correlation factor to virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV, including in the higher chamber pressure PC ranges, where thedifferential pressure sensor 30 is most accurate and dependable and theabsolute pressure sensor 20 losses its accuracy and dependability. For example, if the differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 of differentialpressure pressure sensor 30 are normalized to the accurate and reliable absolutechamber pressure sensor 20 measurements P20, when the chamber pressure PC is at a baseline threshold pressure Pt of 1 torr or below, then, as the absolute chamber pressure PC rises above some cross-over pressure level PX, such as 100 torr, where thedifferential pressure sensor 30 is more accurate and reliable than theabsolute pressure sensor 20, the differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 of thedifferential pressure sensor 30 can be converted to accurate and reliable virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV all the way up to atmospheric pressure PA level and above. In fact, a piezo differential pressure sensor is accurate from about 100 torr below atmospheric pressure PA to about 1,500 torr above atmospheric pressure PA, which is a range of about 1,600 torr. Therefore, normalizing such differential pressure measurements P30, as described above, can provide accurate and dependable virtual absolute pressure measurements PV over a 1,600 torr range. The exact lower and upper ends 43, 45 of such virtual absolute pressure measurement PV range on theabsolute pressure scale 40 will depend on what the atmospheric pressure pressure PA happens to be at any particular time, as illustrated inFIG. 4 , which is described in more detail below. - An example normalizing method for implementing this invention to produce such virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV is illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 4 , although other methods or variations can be devised by persons skilled in the art, once they understand the principles of this invention. For purposes of explanation of this method inFIG. 3 , reference is also made to a chart of effective measuring ranges of example absolute anddifferential pressure sensor FIG. 4 and an exampleload lock chamber 61 pressure profile inFIG. 5 , as well as with continuing reference to theFIGS. 1 and 2 discussed above. - In this example, the
absolute pressure sensor 20 is shown inFIG. 4 to have an effective measuring range extending from about 100 torr down to about 10−5 torr, and the absolute pressure measurements by theabsolute pressure sensor 20 are called P20 for convenience. The micropirani absolute pressure sensor described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/907,541, which is incorporated herein by reference, has this kind of range, while conventional convection pirani absolute pressure sensors have a somewhat narrower range of about 100 torr down to about 10−3 torr. Other thermal conductivity type absolute pressure sensors as well as diaphragm based absolute pressure sensors, such as low range capacitive manometers, low range piezo, strain gauge, and others also are effective in the upper portions of this example absolute pressure sensor range. - The
differential pressure sensor 30 for this example description is shown inFIG. 4 to have an effective measuring range from above atmospheric pressure (e.g., about 1,500 torr above PA) down to about minus 99.9 percent of atmospheric pressure (−99.9% Atm), i.e., down to about 10−1 torr, although it is more accurate and reliable above about 1 torr. The differential pressure measurements by thedifferential pressure sensor 30 are called P30 for convenience, and, as mentioned above, absolute pressure measurements by theabsolute pressure sensor 20 are called P20. - The bar chart in
FIG. 4 is divided into adifferential pressure domain 42 on top and anabsolute pressure domain 44 on bottom to aid in illustrating the concept that thedifferential pressure sensor 30 output measurements P30 shift laterally in relation to theabsolute pressure scale 40 and to the absolute measurements P20, as indicated by arrow 41 andphantom lines FIG. 4 , with the amount of such shift depending on the changes in atmospheric pressure. If the atmospheric pressure PA is higher, the differential pressure measurements P30 shift to the right in relation to theabsolute pressure seal 40 inFIG. 4 , and, if the atmospheric pressure PA moves lower, the differential pressure measurements shift to the left in relation to theabsolute pressure scale 40. - The
absolute pressure profile 98 inFIG. 5 is an enlargement of theabsolute pressure profile 98 for a typical load lock cycle in thedisplay 90 ofFIG. 1 . Thescale 40 at the left is absolute pressure in torr, thescale 140 at the right is differential pressure in torr, and thescale 142 at the bottom is time in minutes, although any suitable pressure and time units can be used. To re-cap, the cycle starts at atmospheric pressure PA indicated at 91, and it descends downwardly 92 during evacuation of theload lock chamber 61 to abase level pressure 93, where it is held for a time during transfer of awafer 73 into (and, if desired, back out of) the reaction chamber 70 (FIG. 1 ). Then, as the load lock chamber 61 (FIG. 1 ) is back-filled, the absolute chamber pressure PC rises back, as shown at 95, to atmospheric pressure PA as indicated at 96. - The absolute chamber pressures PC for the
absolute pressure profile 98, as well as for certain switching functions for the load lock operation (e.g., opening thethrottle valve 66 at apressure point 94, and opening theinterior door 62 at a pressure point 97) can be provided, for example, by themethod 10 shown inFIG. 3 . At the start of themethod 10, it is desirable, although not necessary, to choose an initialcorrelation factor F 0 46 for use in converting differential pressure measurements P30 to normalized virtual absolute pressure measurements PV. For example, the initial correlation factor F0 could be at 760 torr for a sea level location or at 630 torr at a high plains location, which would provide an approximation good enough for the first part of theabsolute pressure profile 98 down to the cross-over pressure PX for the first load lock cycle. Therefore, the correlation factor F is set at 47 inFIG. 3 equal to the initial correlation factor F0. The absolute pressure measurement P20 and the differential pressure measurement P30 are read at 48 from theabsolute pressure sensor 20 and from thedifferential pressure sensor 30. - The differential pressure ΔP is set at 49 to the value of the measurement P30 and is output at 50 for any desired display or control functions, such as to open the
exterior door 64 of the load lock 60 (FIG. 1 ) when ΔP=0, as indicated at 99 in the example process pressure profile inFIG. 5 . Then, the virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement PV is calculated at 51 by adding the correlation factor F to the differential pressure measurement P30. For example, if the correlation factor F is 760 torr, then the virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement PV is the differential pressure measurement P30 plus 760 torr. - Next, as shown in
FIG. 3 , if the absolute chamber pressure PC measurement P20 is not greater than the cross-over pressure level PX at 52, then the absolute chamber pressure PC is set equal to the absolute pressure measurement P20 at 53. If P20 is greater than the cross-over pressure level PX at 52, then the absolute chamber pressure PC is set equal to the virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement PV at 54. Then, the absolute chamber pressure PC, whether set equal to P20 at 53 or equal to PV at 54, is output at 55 for any desired control and display functions. Alternatively, the test at 52 could be whether PV>PX instead of whether P20>PX, with an equivalent effect. - Finally, if the absolute chamber pressure measurement P20 is not less than the correlation threshold pressure Pt at 56, then the
method 10 loops back via 57 to obtain another reading of the absolute chamber pressure measurement P20 and of the differential pressure measurement P30 for another iteration through the logic to obtain new ΔP and PC values as the chamber pressure PC decreases. However, if the absolute chamber pressure measurement P20 is less than the correlation threshold pressure Pt at 56, then the correlation factor F is recalculated at 58 before themethod 10 loops back via 59 for another iteration. As discussed above the correlation threshold pressure Pt is preferably, but not necessarily, low enough to be at or near the bottom of the differential pressure measuring capability of thedifferential pressure sensor 30 at whatever minimum decimal place is needed for the precision desired in the virtual pressure measurements PV. However, Pt should not be so low that the actual absolute chamber pressure PC never or rarely gets that low, because, according to themethod 10, the correlation factor F only gets updated to compensate for any atmospheric pressure PA changes due to weather changes or other causes, when the absolute chamber pressure PC falls below Pt. Therefore, if the chamber pressure PC is cycled to drop below Pt every hour, for example, the correlation factor F will be updated every hour to compensate for any atmospheric pressure PA changes due to weather or otherwise. Such updates keep the PC outputs at 55 accurate, even above PX, regardless of atmospheric pressure PA changes. - While setting the correlation pressure threshold Pt at or very near a level where the
differential pressure sensor 30 measuring capabilities essentially zero out is very convenient and effective, especially for processes that cycle down below that level quite often, any pressure level where the relationship between an accurate, reliable, absolute pressure measurement and a differential pressure is known can be used to determine the correlation factor. For example, if the absolute atmospheric pressure PA is known from some other source at a particular instant in time when the differential pressure sensor measures zero, such absolute atmospheric pressure PA value can be used to set the correlation factor F. Such other source could be, for example, another absolute pressure sensor that is accurate and reliable at that level. - As mentioned above, and as shown in
FIG. 4 , the absolute chamber pressure PC output at 55 in themethod 10 inFIG. 3 comprises a continuous composite of absolute pressure measurements P20 and virtual absolute pressure measurements PV, which effectively extends the range of accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure PC measuring capability higher than the capability of theabsolute pressure sensor 20 alone—all the way up to atmospheric pressure PA and beyond. The cross-over pressure PX is preferably selected to be at the level at which virtual absolute pressure measurements PV are more accurate and reliable than absolute pressure measurements P20 fromabsolute pressure sensor 20 and vice-versa. This simple cross-over at PX, where PX is a single pressure point, is acceptable for many applications. However, any common smoothing function, which is known to persons skilled in the art, can be used, if desired, to blur or spread the cross-over level over arange 103 to ensure that thepressure profile 98 inFIG. 5 does not have a sharp bend or kink where the cross-over occurs. Basically, a smoothing function starts by weighting the PC value more with P20 at one end of therange 103 and changing gradually to weighting the PC value more heavily with PV at the other end of therange 103 so that the PC output in therange 103 would be a blended value of P20 and PV. - With the correlation factor F updated at 58 in
FIG. 3 after the absolute chamber pressure measurement P20 falls below the correlation threshold pressure Pt, as explained above, the output PC at 55 is an accurate measurement of the absolute chamber pressure PC all the way up the risingportion 95 of thechamber pressure profile 98 toatmospheric pressure 96 and above. However, the differential pressure ΔP output at 50 inFIG. 3 can still be used to open the exterior door 64 (FIG. 1 ), if desired. That same updated correlation factor F continues to be used for the correlation of the differential pressure measurements P30 to virtual absolute pressure pressure measurements PV at 49 inFIG. 3 for the descending portion 92 (FIG. 5 ) of the next load lock evacuation cycle, since it is the correlation factor F that is related most recently to the actual atmospheric pressure PA and is, therefore, usually more accurate than the initial correlation factor F0. - The logic in the process discussed above and illustrated in
FIGS. 3-5 can be implemented in any manner, such as amicroprocessor 80, as shown inFIG. 1 or any other convenient manner known to persons skilled in the art. Signals from the absolute anddifferential pressure sensors microprocessor 80 by anyconvenient communication links doors throttle valve 66, and thedisplay 90 can be via suitable communication links 84, 83, 68, 86, respectively. Such communications links can be hard wired, radio frequency, infrared, sound, or any other signal communication technique. Also, the signals and processed information can be handled or stored in any buffers, filters, amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters, memory devices, and other conventional signal processing components (not shown), as is known to persons skilled in the art. Thedisplay 90 is used generically here and can be visual, printed, projected, or any component for receiving, using, storing, or displaying the pressure outputs ΔP and/or PC from the process described in relation toFIG. 3 or otherwise in accordance with this invention. Thepressure sensor 78 can be, but does not have to be, connected to themicroprocessor 80 viacommunication link 85 for monitoring, comparison, display, or the like. - As explained above and illustrated in
FIG. 4 , theabsolute pressure sensor 20, with current technologies, is unlikely to be able to measure very low absolute pressures, e.g., below 10−4 or 10−5, and still extend high enough, e.g., 1 to 100 torr, to get within a useable correlation range, e.g., 10−2 to 1 torr.Absolute pressure sensors 20 in these ranges are considered to be mid-range absolute pressure sensors. If it is desired to evacuate the chamber pressure PC down to even lower pressure levels, such as the 10−7 torr process base pressure level 113 in the exampleprocess pressure profile 98 inFIG. 5 , a second, lowabsolute pressure sensor 25, as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 can be added to this invention. The lowabsolute pressure sensor 25 for example, an ion gauge, a hot cathode pressure sensor, or a cold cathode pressure sensor, can extend the range of accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure PC outputs down to 10−8 torr or below, as illustrated inFIG. 7 . An ion gauge, a hot cathode gauge, and a cold cathode gauge are examples of absolute pressure sensors that are capable of providing accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements P25 at these low absolute pressure levels. - To illustrate the operation of this second, lower range,
absolute pressure sensor 25 in combination with the mid-rangeabsolute pressure sensor 20 and thedifferential pressure sensor 30 in this invention, reference is made now primarily toFIGS. 6-9 . In this example, theprocess chamber 70, shown inFIG. 9 , is not equipped with a load lock, and theexterior door 164 is positioned to open and close thepassage 69 into theprocess chamber 70. The twoabsolute pressure sensors differential pressure sensor 70 are all connected directly in fluid flow relation to theinterior 161 of thechamber 70. The chamber pressure PC in this example, therefore, is the pressure in theinterior 161 of theprocess chamber 70. The pressure scales 40, 140 andtime scale 142 inFIG. 8 are similar to those inFIG. 5 . - The mid-range
absolute pressure sensor 20 and thedifferential pressure sensor 30 are correlated together in substantially the same manner as described above for theFIGS. 1-5 example. The initialization of the correlation factor F with an initial F0 can be the same, as shown inFIG. 6 . All threesensors FIG. 6 for the two absolute pressure measurements P20, P25 and for the differential pressure measurement P30. When a process, such as that illustrated by thepressure profile 110 inFIG. 8 , starts with the chamber pressure PC equal to atmospheric pressure PA, when thedoor 164 is closed, thedifferential pressure sensor 30 is the only one that outputs accurate and reliable measurements at thatpressure level 112 and in theinitial portion 114 of the chamber pressure PC descent. Therefore, the differential pressure ΔP is the same as the differential pressure measurement P30, as shown at 49, and it is output at 50 for whatever functionalities are desired, such as displays of differential pressure ΔP on adifferential pressure scale 140 and opening the door at 132 after the process is completed. However, as explained above, adjusting the differential pressure measurement P30 with the correlation factor F at 51 inFIG. 6 also produces a virtual absolute chamber pressure measurement PV, which is as accurate as the correlation factor F, and which is output as the absolute chamber pressure PC at 55 for thatinitial portion 114 down to the cross-over pressure PX. Then, when the chamber pressure PC is lowered to a range in which mid-rangeabsolute pressure sensor 20 provides more accurate and reliable pressure measurements P20, for example, in therange 116 below the first cross-over pressure PX inFIG. 8 , the chamber pressure PC output at 55 inFIG. 6 is equal to the absolute pressure measurements P20. Apressure point 94 in this mid-range 116 can be used to open thethrottle valve 66 inFIG. 9 to bolster pumpdown speed, as explained for theFIGS. 1-5 example above. Also, as explained above, when the chamber pressure PC drops below the correlation pressure threshold Pt, the correlation factor F is updated at 58 inFIG. 6 to compensate for any change in the atmospheric pressure PA that may have occurred since the previous update of the correlation factor F. The connections, signal communications links,microprocessor 80, and other signal processing and handling components in the example ofFIG. 9 can be similar to those described forFIG. 1 , as would be obvious to persons skilled in the art, once they understand the principles of this invention, thus need not be described further herein. - Unlike the example
process pressure profile 98 inFIG. 5 , however, the exampleprocess pressure profile 110 illustrated inFIG. 8 continues below the pressure measuring capability of themid-range pressure sensor 20. Therefore, from a second cross-over pressure level PXX orrange 118, preferably where the pressure measurements P20, P25 are both still accurate and reliable, and down through alower portion 120 of theprocess pressure profile 110 under PXX to thebase pressure 122, the absolute chamber pressure PC output at 55 inFIG. 6 is equal to the absolute pressure measurement P25 from the lowrange pressure sensor 25. This second cross-over at PXX is implemented at 124 and 126 inFIG. 6 . - The
base pressure level 122 is commonly used to draw as many impurities out of theprocess chamber 161 as practically possible before back-filling theprocess chamber 161 with an inert or anoverpressure gas 63 to raise the process chamber pressure PC to a moremid-level pressure level 126, where the process feedgases process chamber 161 to react and deposit thesemiconductor material 77 on thesubstrate 73. Theprocess pressure level 126 can be above, below, or equal to the second cross-over pressure PXX, as desired by an operator. - At the completion of the
example semiconductor 77 deposition process inFIGS. 6-9 , thefeed gasses fill gas 63 or another back-fill gas (not shown) is used to raise the process chamber pressure PC back up to the atmospheric pressure PA. Through the mid-range 128 between the second cross-over pressure PXX and the first cross-over pressure PX, the absolute pressure of theprofile 110 is provided by the absolute pressure measurements P20. Finally, in thepressure range 130 above the first cross-over pressure PX, the absolute pressure PC measurements for theprocess pressure profile 110 are again provided by the virtual absolute pressure measurements PV, which are calculated by adding the updated correlation factor F to the differential pressure measurement P30 as explained above and shown at 52, 54, 55 ofFIG. 6 . Finally, when the chamber pressure PC reaches atmospheric pressure PA, thedifferential pressure sensor 30 senses zero differential pressure ΔP, and the ΔP output at 53 can be used to open thedoor 164 at 132, as explained above. - As explained above, any pressure level at which an accurate relationship between absolute pressure and differential pressure is known or can be measured or otherwise determined can be used to determine a correlation factor and, with the differential pressure measurements, to extend absolute pressure measurements beyond the accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring capabilities of an absolute pressure sensor. The examples described above show this invention extending the range of absolute pressure measurements above the accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring capabilities of an absolute pressure sensor by adding the correlation factor F to the differential pressure measurements P30. However, the principles of this invention also work for determining and using a correlation factor along with differential pressure measurements to extend absolute pressure measurements below the accurate and dependable pressure measuring capabilities of a high range absolute pressure sensor. For example, if an absolute pressure sensor (not shown) is capable of measuring high absolute pressures, such as from 500 to 3,000 torr accurately and reliably, but could not measure absolute pressures below 1,000 torr, a differential pressure sensor that is accurate and reliable from +200% atmosphere, down to −99.9% atmosphere (approximately 1,200 to 1,500 torr down to about −760 to −600 torr, depending on the specific atmospheric pressure at the time) along with an appropriate correlation factor could be used to extend the absolute pressure measuring range below the 1,000 torr low range limit of the absolute pressure sensor, e.g., down to 0.1 torr. The correlation factor could be determined, for example, at atmospheric pressure, where the differential pressure is zero. If desired, the absolute pressure measurements could then be extended down to even lower pressures, e.g., below 1 torr down to 10−8 torr, by combining a mid-range absolute pressure sensor and a low-range absolute pressure sensor, as explained above.
- Consequently, a differential pressure sensor can, according to this invention, be used to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements PV within its accurate and reliable differential pressure measuring range, on a common absolute pressure scale with absolute pressure measurements of one or more absolute pressure sensors above and/or below the differential pressure sensor range. This capability is advantageous, even if absolute pressure sensors with accurate and reliable pressure measuring capabilities are available for the same range as the differential pressure sensor in some circumstances. For example, in the
FIG. 4 example described above, theabsolute pressure sensor 20 could be a micropirani sensor, which, like a number of other absolute pressure sensors, a thermal conductivity type pressure sensor. Pressure readings from thermal conductivity pressure sensors change with different kinds of gasses, i.e., with different molecular contents, at higher pressures, such as over about 1 torr. In other words, for example, a thermal conductivity type absolute pressure sensor will output different pressure readings P20 when the gas in the chamber is changed or mixed with another gas, even if the actual absolute pressure PC in the chamber does not change. Direct reading differential pressure sensors, such as piezo and capacitance diaphragm gauges, are not gas-type dependent, thus provide the same pressure readings regardless of the kinds of gasses that are introduced into the chamber. Therefore, for gas-independent absolute pressure measurements, use of the differential pressure measurements P30 with a correlation factor F according to this invention has advantages over a thermal conductivity absolute pressure sensor for the same range. Therefore, the absolute pressure sensor not only performs two functions simultaneously according to this invention, i.e., measuring and monitoring both differential and absolute pressures in a range of about 10 torr to 1,500 torr or higher, it can also provide the absolute pressure readings in that range better than at least some absolute pressure sensors that are gas-type dependent. - The foregoing description is considered as illustrative of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and process shown and described above. Accordingly, resort may be made to all suitable modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention. For example, while the comparisons in
decision boxes FIGS. 3 and 6 are expressed in terms of “greater than” and “less than”, they could be “greater than or equal to” or “less than or equal to”, respectively, because these pressure levels PX and Pt do not have to be exact for this invention to function properly. Therefore, the terms “greater than” (>) is considered to include “greater than or equal to” (≧), and the term “less than” is considered to include “less than or equal to” (≦), for the explanations or recitations relating to the methods inFIGS. 3 and 6 . Also, in bothFIGS. 3 and 6 , the comparison at 52 can be “Is PV>PX?” instead of “Is P20>PX?”, as indicated above. As mentioned above, example current technology absolute pressure sensors suitable for use in this invention include the thermal conductivity-type sensors, micropirani, conventional convention pirani, hot cathode, cold cathode, ion gauge, etc,. as well as low-range diaphragm sensors such as capacitive, piezo, strain gauge, and the like. Any diaphragm differential pressure sensor and combinations of absolute pressure sensors, as mentioned above, are suitable for use in this invention. Of course, the invention would also work with any future technology absolute or differential pressure sensors. The words “comprise,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “include,” “including,” and “includes” when used in this specification are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, or groups thereof. - Amendments to the Specification:
- Please replace paragraph [0022] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- The present invention is illustrated for example, but not for limitation, in
FIG. 1 by twopressure sensors load lock chamber 60, and amicroprocessor 80, which receives and processes signals originating from thepressure sensors display 90. Thefirst pressure sensor 20 is an absolute pressure sensor (PABS) for sensing the absolute pressure PC in thechamber 61. Thesecond pressure sensor 30 is a differential pressure sensor (ΔP) for sensing the difference between the atmospheric pressure PA outside thechamber 61 and the gas pressure PC inside thechamber 61. In other words, [[PABS=PP]], PABS=PC and [[ΔP=PA−PP]] ΔP=PA−PC. - Please replace paragraph [0028] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- While it is important to have accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements of the chamber pressure PC going down to the absolute chamber pressure PC level 93 in order to match the process pressure PP in the
vacuum process chamber 70 before opening theinterior door 62, as explained above, it is also important to be able to measure accurately when the chamber pressure PC matches the atmospheric pressure PA before the exterior door is opened. Unfortunately, however, there are no absolute pressures presssure sensors that can measure the absolute chamber pressure PC accurately and reliably over the full pressure range from atmospheric pressure PA level 91 down to thelow pressure level 93 that is needed to match the process pressure PP in thevacuum process chamber 70. Also, the atmospheric pressure PA varies significantly with elevation above sea level and with ambient weather conditions, so there is no fixed absolute pressure set point that can be used for the chamber pressure PC to open theexterior door 64. Consequently, it is necessary to use anabsolute pressure sensor 20 that is accurate and reliable at the lower pressure levels to measure absolute chamber pressure PC for determining when to open theinterior door 62, but also to use adifferential pressure sensor 30 for determining when the chamber pressure PC matches the atmospheric pressure PA in order to open theexterior door 64 at or near atmospheric pressure PA as indicated at 99 in thedisplay 90. Of course, two higher pressure range absolute pressure sensors (not shown), one for measuring absolute atmospheric pressure PA and the other for measuring absolute chamber pressure PC, and an analog or digital comparator circuit (not shown), microprocessor, or other means for comparing such measurements, could be substituted for thedifferential pressure sensor 30, as is understood by persons skilled in the art. Therefore, the use of the term “differential pressure sensor” herein is meant to include not only conventional, direct read differential pressure sensors or gauges, but also the use of two absolute pressure sensors with circuitry for subtracting measurements of one from measurements of the other to measure differential pressures, as well as any other apparatus or method that is capable of providing differential pressure measurements. - Please replace paragraph [0031] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- According to this invention, as illustrated in
FIG. 2 , the measurements provided by theabsolute pressure sensor 20 are used for the absolute chamber pressures PC below a cross-over pressure PX level or range on anabsolute pressure scale 40 in thedisplay 90, where theabsolute pressure sensor 20 has the capability to provide accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements. However, for absolute chamber pressure PC measurements above the cross-over pressure level or range PX, where theabsolute pressure sensor 20 does not provide sufficiently accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements, normalized virtual differential pressure measurements, which are based on differential pressure measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 are used for the absolute chamber pressure PC on theabsolute pressure scale 40 in thedisplay 90. To normalize such differential pressure measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 for this purpose, they are correlated with measurements P20 of absolute chamber pressure PC from theabsolute pressure sensor 20 at or below a correlation pressure threshold point Pt, which is preferably at or near a pressure where the practical accuracy of thedifferential pressure sensor 30 effectively reaches its bottom, i.e., where further decimal places of pressure measurements are not meaningful or significant in a practical application or where physical structure or electric circuit limitations render lower differential pressure ΔP measurements with thedifferential pressure sensor 30 practically meaningless. This correlation pressure threshold point Pt, or any pressure lower than Pt that is still within an accurate and reliable absolute pressure measuring range of theabsolute pressure sensor 20, can be used as a base line for adjusting or normalizing the differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to correlate with the absolute chamber pressure PC measurements P20 from the absolutepressure pressure sensor 20 at a desired level of accuracy, as will be explained in more detail below. Therefore, such adjustment or normalizing correlation factor F can be used to convert or normalize all higher differential pressure ΔP measurements P30 from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to the same scale as the absolute chamber pressure PC measurements P20 from theabsolute pressure sensor 20, as is shown inFIG. 3 and will be described in more detail below. Consequently, as the chamber pressure PC rises above that correlation pressure threshold Pt, the correlation factor F can be added to all of the differential pressure ΔP measurements from thedifferential pressure sensor 30 to convert them to virtual absolute chamber pressure PC measurements PV correlated to the sameabsolute pressure scale 40 as the absolute pressure measurements P20 produced by theabsolute pressure sensor 20. - Please replace paragraph [0036] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- As illustrated in
FIG. 2 , when the atmospheric pressure PA is, for example, 760 torr and the absolute chamber pressure PC (FIG. 1 ) is also 760 torr, such as when theexterior door 64 is open, then the differential pressure ΔP between the atmospheric pressure PA and the chamber pressure PC in the chamber 61 (FIG. 1 ) will [[be]], of course, be zero, as shown incolumn 44 inFIG. 2 . As thechamber 61 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 65 (FIG. 1 ), and the absolute chamber pressure PC is lowered by 660 torr to the absolute chamber pressure PC of, for example, 100 torr, the differential pressure ΔP will also drop from zero to −660 torr, shown inFIG. 2 . - Please replace paragraph [0038] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- The same 130 torr discrepancy between this sea level example and this high plains location example shows in all of the differential pressure ΔP measurements as the chamber pressure PC is lowered. In other words, lowering the absolute chamber pressure PC of 100 torr down to 10 torr—a 90 torr drop—correspondingly lowers both the sea level location differential pressure ΔP and the high plains location differential pressure ΔP by 90 torr, i.e., from −660 torr down to −750 torr at the sea level location and −530 torr down to −620 torr at the high plains location, as shown in
FIG. 2 . Likewise, lowering the absolute chamber pressure PC another 9 torr down to 1 torr would lower the differential pressures ΔP at the sea level location and the high plains locations to −759 torr and −629 torr, respectively. An absolute chamber pressure PC of 0.1 torr corresponds to differential pressures of ΔP of −759.9 torr at the sea level location and −629.9 torr at the high plains location, and 0.01 torr, 0.001 torr, 0.0001 torr, and 0.00001 torr absolute chamber pressures PC correspond to −759.99 torr, −759.999 torr, −759.9999 torr, and −759.99999 torr at the sea level location and to −629.99 torr, −629.999 torr, −629.9999 torr, and −629.99999 torr at the high plains location. - Please replace paragraph [0053] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- As explained above and illustrated in
FIG. 4 , theabsolute pressure sensor 20, with current technologies, is unlikely to be able to measure very low absolute pressures, e.g., below 10 −4 or 10 −5, and still extend high enough, e.g., 1 to 100 torr, to get within a useable correlation range, e.g., 10−2 to 1 torr.Absolute pressure sensors 20 in these ranges are considered to be mid-range absolute pressure sensors. If it is desired to evacuate the chamber pressure PC down to even lower pressure levels, such as the 10−7 torr process base pressure level 113 122 in the exampleprocess pressure profile 98 110 in FIGS. 5 8, a second, lowabsolute pressure sensor 25, as shown inFIG. 8 andFIG. 9 can be added to this invention. The lowabsolute pressure sensor 25 for example, an ion gauge, a hot cathode pressure sensor, or a cold cathode pressure sensor, can extend the range of accurate and reliable absolute chamber pressure PC outputs down to 10−8 torr or below, as illustrated inFIG. 7 . An ion gauge, a hot cathode gauge, and a cold cathode gauge are examples of absolute pressure sensors that are capable of providing accurate and reliable absolute pressure measurements P25 at these low absolute pressure levels. - Please replace paragraph [0061] with the following rewritten paragraph:
- The foregoing description is considered as illustrative of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and process shown and described above. Accordingly, resort may be made to all suitable modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention. For example, while the comparisons in
decision boxes FIGS. 3 and 6 are expressed in terms of “greater than” and “less than”, they could be “greater than or equal to” or “less than or equal to”, respectively, because these pressure levels PX and Pt Px and Pt do not have to be exact for this invention to function properly. Therefore, the terms “greater than” (>) is considered to include “greater than or equal to” (≧), and the term “less than” is considered to include “less than or equal to” (≦), for the explanations or recitations relating to the methods inFIGS. 3 and 6 . Also, in bothFIGS. 3 and 6 , the comparison at 52 can be “Is PV>P X?” instead of “Is P20>PX?”, as indicated above. As mentioned above, example current technology absolute pressure sensors suitable for use in this invention include the thermal conductivity-type sensors, micropirani, conventional convention pirani, hot cathode, cold cathode, ion gauge, etc,. as well as low-range diaphragm sensors such as capacitive, piezo, strain gauge, and the like. Any diaphragm differential pressure sensor and combinations of absolute pressure sensors, as mentioned above, are suitable for use in this invention. Of course, the invention would also work with any future technology absolute or differential pressure sensors. The words “comprise,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “include,” “including,” and “includes” when used in this specification are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, or groups thereof.
Claims (3)
1. A method of providing an absolute chamber pressure profile of gas pressure in a chamber as the pressure in the chamber changes over time, comprising:
measuring absolute pressure in the chamber with an absolute pressure sensor that has an accurate and dependable range of absolute pressure measuring capability;
measuring differential pressure between the chamber and atmospheric pressure with a differential pressure sensor that has an accurate and dependable range of differential pressure measuring capability, which corresponds with at least a portion of the accurate and dependable range of the absolute pressure sensor;
determining a correlation factor between an absolute pressure measurement from the absolute pressure sensor that is considered to be accurate and reliable and a differential pressure measurement from the differential pressure sensor;
using the absolute pressure measurements from the absolute pressure sensor for the absolute chamber pressure profile in pressure ranges where the absolute pressure measurements from the absolute pressure sensors are more accurate and reliable than the differential pressure measurements from the differential pressure sensor; and
using the differential pressure measurements from the differential pressure sensor, adjusted by the correlation factor to provide virtual absolute pressure measurements, for the absolute chamber pressure profile where the differential pressure measurements from the differential pressure sensor are more accurate and reliable than the absolute pressure measurements from the absolute pressure sensor.
2. The method of claim 1 , including determining the correlation factor by:
measuring the absolute pressure in the chamber at a chamber pressure;
measuring the differential pressure between the atmosphere and the chamber at said chamber pressure; and
subtracting the differential pressure measurement at said chamber pressure from the absolute pressure measurement at said chamber pressure.
3. A method for measuring absolute pressures in a chamber over a variable pressure range comprising
measuring the absolute pressures in the chamber on an absolute pressure scale over a first portion of the variable pressure range with an absolute pressure gauge;
measuring the differential pressure between the chamber and the atmosphere on a differential pressure scale over a second portion of the variable pressure range that partially overlaps the first portion of the variable pressure range;
subtracting a differential pressure measurement measured at a particular chamber pressure from an absolute pressure measurement measured at said particular chamber pressure to determine a correlation factor; and
normalizing the differential pressure measurements in at least some of the second portion of the variable pressure range to said absolute pressure scale by adjusting said differential pressure measurements in at least some of the second portion of the variable pressure range with the correlation factor.
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US11/759,202 US7477996B2 (en) | 2003-11-24 | 2007-06-06 | Integrated absolute and differential pressure transducer |
US12/353,201 US7962294B2 (en) | 2003-11-24 | 2009-01-13 | Integrated absolute and differential pressure transducer |
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-
2005
- 2005-06-21 US US11/158,917 patent/US20060004539A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2007
- 2007-06-06 US US11/759,202 patent/US7477996B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2009
- 2009-01-13 US US12/353,201 patent/US7962294B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4903649A (en) * | 1987-03-12 | 1990-02-27 | Brunswick Corporation | Fuel supply system with pneumatic amplifier |
US6089097A (en) * | 1995-02-28 | 2000-07-18 | Rosemount Inc. | Elongated pressure sensor for a pressure transmitter |
US6494100B1 (en) * | 1997-10-24 | 2002-12-17 | Cypress Semiconductor Corp. | Circuit and apparatus for verifying a chamber seal, and method of depositing a material onto a substrate using the same |
US6909975B2 (en) * | 2003-11-24 | 2005-06-21 | Mks Instruments, Inc. | Integrated absolute and differential pressure transducer |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN108678940A (en) * | 2018-05-16 | 2018-10-19 | 湖南江南汽车制造有限公司 | A kind of controller system and vacuum pump |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US7962294B2 (en) | 2011-06-14 |
GB2423823B (en) | 2007-02-28 |
TWI343475B (en) | 2011-06-11 |
WO2005052535A1 (en) | 2005-06-09 |
GB0610004D0 (en) | 2006-06-28 |
TW200526937A (en) | 2005-08-16 |
JP5329757B2 (en) | 2013-10-30 |
US20090228219A1 (en) | 2009-09-10 |
US20070288179A1 (en) | 2007-12-13 |
GB2423823A (en) | 2006-09-06 |
DE112004002274B4 (en) | 2010-10-28 |
US6909975B2 (en) | 2005-06-21 |
US7477996B2 (en) | 2009-01-13 |
JP2007512535A (en) | 2007-05-17 |
DE112004002274T5 (en) | 2006-09-21 |
US20050114070A1 (en) | 2005-05-26 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC., MASSACHUSETTS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DOZORETZ, PAUL;GU, YOUFAN;HOLCOMB, GARRY;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:018203/0392;SIGNING DATES FROM 20040213 TO 20040225 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |